Suspect dead, several injured in attack at Ohio State University

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WGN reporter Nancy Loo's daughter Aubrey Jenkins is a sophomore at Ohio Sate University. She was on lockdown at the school's field house during the shooting.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The suspect in the Ohio State University attack rammed his car into a group of pedestrians before using a butcher knife to cut several people, university officials said.

At least nine people were hospitalized, including one in critical condition. "Victim injuries include stab wounds, injury by motor vehicle and other injuries that are being evaluated," OSU said.

The suspect was an 18-year-old of Somali descent who lived in the area, a federal law enforcement official said. Investigators have identified the suspect but have not publicized his name, the official said. The car used in the attack was registered to a family member.

A US official said the suspect was a legal permanent resident.

Suspect killed

Student Jacob Bower said he saw the attacker outside between the Koffolt Laboratories and Watts Hall.

"He pulled a large knife and started chasing people around, trying to attack them," Bower, 20, told CNN.

"Luckily there were so many people, he couldn't focus on one target. I didn't see anyone get stabbed, but I saw the police officer take down the stabber. He waited 'til everyone was clear, and the stabber clearly wasn't stopping. (It) took three shots to take him down. (The) stabber had a crazy look in his eyes."

The officer fatally shot the assailant, eliminating the risk to students, authorities said.

Now, as nine people try to recover from their wounds, investigators are trying to determine a motive, and whether the attack is terror-related.

"We have to consider that it is that possibility," Columbus Police Chief Kimberley Jacobs said.

"We had an attack earlier this year with a man with a knife causing multiple injuries. So we're always aware that that's the potential. And we're going to continue to look at that."

"He got out of the vehicle and started using a butcher knife to start cutting pedestrians," Stone said. "Our officer was on scene in less than a minute, and he ended the situation in less than a minute."

But as the chaos unfolded, university officials reported an active shooter incident at Watts Hall, the university's materials science and engineering building.